Generally, a power adapter is always used for adapting different sockets provided in different countries when traveling all over the world. Therefore, a connector of the power adapter for connecting with the socket also must be exchangeable for adapting, and thus, now, the power adapter always has different connectors and each of which can be exchanged. Hence, how to smooth the exchange of each connector and how to economically achieve the exchange both become a key point in manufacturing.
Please refer to FIG. 1A which illustrates a schematic view of a conventional power adapter. As shown in FIG. 1A, a connector 11 is assembled with a main body 12 of the power adapter 10 through sliding, and the connector 11 and the main body 12 are engaged with each other through an engaging element 121. However, this power adapter still has some defects in manufacturing or during operation.
Please also refer to FIG. 1B which illustrates a perspective drawing showing a connector of the conventional power adapter. As shown in FIG. 1B, the connector 11 includes conducting pieces 111 and 112, wherein the conducting pieces 112 are located inside the connector and would not be seen when the connector 11 is sealed. It can be clearly seen from FIG. 1B that, for being contacted with the conducting terminal 122, the conducting pieces 112 must be bent, and thus, it is obvious that one manufacturing step should be introduced for bending the conducting terminals 112 toward the conducting piece 111. Naturally, no matter in cost or in time, this structure needs more labors.
In addition to one additional manufacturing step for bending the conducting terminals into a specific angle so as to increase the manufacturing time, for covering the conducting pieces 112 which are contacted by the conducting terminals 111, the material needed by this connector must be increased, too. Therefore, the manufacturing process of the conventional power adapter is actually very complicated and should be simplified.
Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1A, the separation between the connector 11 and the main body 12 is mediated by a “push” button 123 on the main body. Because the engaging element 121 is controlled by the “push” button 123, the engagement between the connector 11 and the main body 12 can be released through pushing the “push” button by the user. However, this design is disadvantageous that this power adapter obviously can not completely stay close to the socket as the conducting pieces 111 are plugged therein because of the thickness of the “push” button, and further, the “push” button 123 might also be miss-touched so that the connector 11 will be separated from the main body 12 at an inappropriate time. Furthermore, for forming this additional element, this design will need still another manufacturing step and time which is no doubt a waste in cost and in time.
Because of the technical defects described above, the applicant keeps on carving unflaggingly to develop a “power adapter” through wholehearted experience and research.